Hurricane Sandy

Boston and the greater New England area is all shut down and buttoned up waiting for the arrival of the storm. Hurricane Sandy has the schools closed, the T stopping service at 2:00 and officials encouraging everyone to stay home today.

James and I got up this morning and took our poor car (it was struck by two bad drivers on separate occasions this week) to a body shop. We were afraid if we left it parked out front today the tree in our front yard would inevitably fall on it. On the way home through the rain we listened to the NPR reports coming in about the hurricane and stopped to get cider donuts from a local bakery for breakfast.

Like most schools in the area, James' Cotting School is closed. My meeting at Emerson was cancelled tonight. Today we're home in our cozy house with a puzzle and lots of tea. The wind is growing stronger outside and all of my fall leaves are blowing out of the trees. Here in Waltham we are pretty far away from the coast and protected from rising water. The wind could prove a problem however, if it begins to knock down trees over power lines and such.

I have plenty of schoolwork to keep me busy.

Enough arts and craft supplies for a week.

Now if only we could find that last straight edge puzzle piece...

Another Fall Day

Pictures from our adventure to Cambridge yesterday after church. It was a lovely fall day and heaps of fun to explore this well loved bookstore. The leaves are breathtaking everywhere you look and I often find myself distracted by them. Lots of people out and about in Cambridge. We returned to a cozy home and a crockpot full of chili waiting for us. We snuggled up to do homework and watch shows until the Moore's tempted us out with cookies and apple cider. It was a great Sunday!

Hernandi Kids

Look at these goobers. I love them. Hopefully by now you recognize them, I've written about them often. These pajama-clad kids were once part of my daily routine and I miss them tremendously. I adore the way they love each other and play together. I miss the way they got excited when I came home or wandered into my room to see what I was up to. Caleb has really good jokes and makes great lego sculptures. Alina is a love-bug and her imagination is awesome. She's currently one of my penpals. Levi holds a special place our hearts and he's been my buddy since he was a tiny guy. James got to see them last weekend and they called me to video chat.

Melt.

Distracted Thoughts While Studying:

There are moments when I struggle with literary theory. Language that is nearly impossible to access at times and I often find myself searching a passage for something applicable to the text I am reading, while I forget to read the essay as a whole.

I have to use the dictionary while reading theory.

However tonight I am enjoying it. It might have something to do with the book I'm reading it out of. Its small, cloth bound on lovely, thick, uncoated stock paper. Many students have read it since 1993 and consequently it now lays open nicely for me. It is beginning to acquire the old book smell and was published just down the road from here in Cambridge.

Speaking of Cambridge; James and I are going to adventure to the Harvard Bookstore tomorrow. I have a little class project to research and we will make it a date! If I'm lucky maybe with a little coffee too.

Book Proposal

Check out this book I found in the bookstore the other day. 

Oh wait, no this is the cover I helped design for a project at school. Doesn't it look awesome? I'm starting to think this book actually exists. I know what the content is, and wrote some of it myself. We have the design specs laid out, table of contents with authors lined up, publication schedule and timeline, and we can almost guess how much money it would actually make. 

I'm learning a lot in my Book Publishing Overview class, and though I mostly cringe at group projects this one has had its great moments. I just about burst with joy watching this cover come to life. Oh yeah, Sophia Coppola on the cover? That was all me. 

My Day to Day

Someone recently asked me what my weeks look like these days. It is a loaded question.

I'll start at the beginning. Sundays James and I go to church, which starts at 10, and usually we have breakfast together before. The size of breakfast ranges from pancakes or frenchtoast to toast or a cup of coffee knowing we'll be fed lunch. It all depends on how late we were up the night before. Church is usually amazing. I feel like we've connected with most people at this point and we feel at home there. Sunday afternoon is time to relax, play a game, or read. Sometimes in the evening we end up at the Moores, or the Harveys, or we all meet in the middle at the Skellig (a local pub that does live music Sunday nights).

Monday James goes to work and I finish up last minute reading or writing for class Tuesday and Wednesday. I usually try and work from at least 8 to 3 when he arrives home. Lately Monday nights include a meeting for me at Emerson, for the book project proposal I'm working on.

Tuesday I work from 6:45 to 1:15 at Starbucks. Then I usually make it home for a shower and head to Latin American Non-Fiction at Emerson. I am enjoying this class immensely and discussion about the weekly reading is great. We end around 9:30 when I catch the T and the bus home. I usually arrive around 10:30. Tuesdays are my longest days, I'm usually exhausted after.

Wednesday is another work day. I try and get up when James leaves and finish up work for Wednesday night class, Book Publishing Overview. There is a lot of reading and writing for this class, as well as the book proposal I mentioned earlier. However I feel as if I have more of a handle on the industry than when I was working in a publishing house.

Thursday, sometimes I work at Starbucks, sometimes I get a day off. Usually I sleep in this day, and as it is the start of the "new" school week I either give myself a day to read and relax or I dig in to next weeks assignments. Often we have dinner or dessert with friends this night.

Friday is a Starbucks day. Friday night tends to be James and Ashley hangout time--also laundry.

Saturday both James and I work in the morning. I usually try and work on assignments. A lot of phone calls and Skype happen on Saturdays. We also hang out with friends on the weekend.

Thats my week! It has been amazing to fall into the school rhythm again. I get more done in school than when I'm not in school. When there is a pattern to the week I know when I have to sit down and get work done and when I can just relax. Its great to live in that again.

On a Fall Morning

 

I feel older today. Maybe it is the increasing responsibilities at school and the learning I am doing there. It could also be the fact that yesterday I came home to a mailbox full of lovely things, most of them addressed to Ashley Pierce. 

We've had lots of friends over lately. In celebration of Cake Day Amanda and Peter drove up from Connecticut and brought cake and lovely books for us. These are two good friends I studied abroad with, and I am so delighted that they are planning a wedding together. 

James bought a bike. He's been riding it to his school as often as possible. He's a trooper, its definitely cold and rainy out today. This morning as I was sleepy-eyed and waking up he donned his bike shorts and helmet before he said goodbye. Gotta love those bike shorts. 

Yesterday I took some time to walk around our neighborhood and take pictures of the colors. It was a nice break between work and school. Some of the trees have begun to bloom with red and orange, there are mums on every porch, pumpkins and scarecrows have popped up by front doors. Can you tell I'm completely enamored with fall? 

The Pierces and the Weckers: Camden Yards

James got to tick another ball park off his list at the Baltimore Orioles game last weekend. Camden Yards is said to be the most influential park in baseball, and revolutionized the way all parks were built after it. It is truly stunning.

 Set in downtown Baltimore with brick, views of the city and history adorning its walls this was a perfect place for family to get together and enjoy a game. We all (the Weckers, the Rogers, and tuns of good friends) piled into cars and caught the train to the game.

 Bill! Congratulations friend, you're married! It was the BEST to spend the weekend with you. 

 Steve Wecker, singing "Thank God I'm a Country Boy". He knows all the words. 

 Did I mention the Orioles won that night?! They've been winning a lot lately. 

The Weckers even arranged a fireworks show for us!! Well, almost. 

 What a beautiful night. It was a blast to sit and watch the game with James. We ate peanuts and hotdogs, with lemonade and cotton candy. So many friends to see and talk with. There was dancing, singing and laughter had by all. These guys are truly family to us and it was incredible to enjoy such an epic evening with them. Ry, you are beautiful and I am so thrilled for you. 

Life is great huh?

Rogers Wedding: Baltimore, MD

We love these two and were so blessed to celebrate their wedding this past weekend. You both are a blessing in our lives! 

 For their wedding rehearsal dinner, with close family and friends, Bill and Ryan did a 

crab feast Maryland style. 

 Josh and Faith, way too cute. 

 Old Bay!

 Stephen and Nikki. I love this picture of them. 

Ryan, friend I am completely blessed by you and so honored to spend the weekend with your family. Thanks for loving us the way you do. We pray blessings on your first weeks as newlyweds! Huge hugs, can hardly wait to see you again. I'll post more pictures from the rest of the weekend soon so come back for pictures of the Orioles/Red Sox game!

Sailing to Boston--With the Hudsons

We first connect with the Hudson family as we drove together up to New Hampshire for retreat. It wasn't long after they found out I like to sail that we had our first trip planned. James and I have been looking forward to it for a few weeks. 

 After church yesterday they took us and a few others out, what a beautiful day it was.

This is Gavin, the smallest Hudson with the most energy.

 Our beautiful city! This is a view you don't often see.

Gavin and Kristin, love it! 

 Check out my husband driving that sailboat!

Many thanks to James, who grabbed my camera and snapped a lot of these pictures while I was busy trimming the mainsail. We LOVED being out on the water and had so much fun. New England is full of fun places to sail and I can't wait to explore more of it.